Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Kriegsmarine — Submarine

German submarine U-639

Type VIIC U-boat

Displacement
757 long tons (769 t)
Length
67.1 m (220.1 ft)
Beam
6.2 m (20.3 ft)
Speed
17.7 knots (32.8 km/h, 20.4 mph)
Main gun
88 mm (3.5 in)

Service

  1. Kriegsmarine as U-63910 September 1942 — 28 August 1943352 days of the war
Type VIIC U-boat Particulars
Name
U-639
Builder
Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Ordered
20 January 1941
Laid down
31 October 1941
Launched
22 July 1942
Commissioned
10 September 1942
Fate
Torpedoed and sunk by the Soviet submarine S-101 in the Kara Sea on 28 August 1943
By submarine (1943)
Status
Wreck

Specifications

Displacement, surfaced
757 long tons (769 t)
Displacement, submerged
857 long tons (871 t)
Length
67.1 m (220.1 ft) OA
Beam
6.2 m (20.3 ft)
Draught
4.74 m (15.6 ft)
Speed
17.7 knots (32.8 km/h, 20.4 mph)
Range
8,500 nmi (15,742 km)
Main gun
88 mm (3.5 in)

U-639 was a submarine of the Type VIIC U-boat built for the Kriegsmarine. Her keel was laid at Blohm & Voss, Hamburg on 31 October 1941. Launched on 22 July 1942, she entered service on 10 September 1942.

612 ships of the class were built. The class followed the Type UB III, Vetehinen class and was succeeded by the Type XXI (Late-war replacement).

The boat displaced 757 long tons surfaced and 857 long tons submerged. She measured 67.1 m (220 ft) long with a beam of 6.2 m (20 ft). Her designed speed was 17.7 knots.

Her main battery was one 88 mm (3.5 in) guns.

She was in commission for 352 days of the Second World War.

She was sunk on 28 August 1943 by submarine, at 76°49′N 69°42′E. The wreck survives.

Written from the harvested record. Every figure above is sourced; the wording is this site's own.

Armament and machinery

Armament and machinery
Propulsion
  • 3200 PS surfaced
  • 750 PS submerged
Armament
  • 5 × 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern)
  • 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines
  • 1 × 8.8 cm deck gun (220 rounds)
  • 1 × twin 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft gun

Sister ships

587 more in the class

Sources